Well pump



Feb; 23, 1932. R, PENDLETQN 1,846,435

WELL PUMP Filed March 50, 1931 Patented Feb. 23,y 1932 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE WELL PUMP Application filed March 30, 1931. Serial No.526,216.

This invention relates generally to pumps of the gas hit type utilizingcompressed gas 'for elevating water, oil, and other liquids By the termgas I have from earth wells. 5 reference to all compressible or elasticfluids,

as for example air, or natural gas. In certain respects the inventioncan be considered an improvement of the invention disclosed and claimedin Pendleton Patent 1,589,551, in granted June 22, 1926.

in my aforementioned Patent 1,589,551, I disclosed the use of a gas pumputilizing valve means of the ball check type which is automaticallyactuated in response to varying r. 'fluid pressures to which it issubjected. Movement of the valve ball to one operating position servesto permit iniiow of oil from the well into a displacement chamber, whilemovement of the valve means to the other olnerating position serves tointerrupt flow oiE oil from the well and eiiect displacement of thetrapped oil towards the surface of the weil by gas under pressure. Thilothe pump disclosed in said patent is an operative device and a valuablecontribution to the art, in practice it is subject to certaindisadvantages. For example under certain operating conditions the ballcheck will remain in an intermediate position' to permit continuouscommunication between the liquid displacement chamber, and the source ofunder pressure. When this condition prevails proper pumping action doesnot take place and if the pump is installed in a well in which the oilcontains substantial quantities of water, serious emulsiiication ot theoil will result. It is an object of the resent invention to devise awell pump of the above character in which the automatic valve means willpropcrly 'function under all operating conditions. In this connecten thespecific form of the invention to be presently disclosed ischaracterized by the nse of separate ball checksfor controlling flow ofoil from the well into the displacement chamber, and for controllingadmission of gas under pressure.

It is a further object of the invention to devise a well pump of theabove character which :is will be characterized by reliability ofoperation, in that sand or other foreign material will not tend torender it inoperative. Further objects of the invention will appear fromthe following description in which `the preferred embodiment of theinvention is set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. lt is to be understood that the appended claims are to beaccorded a range of. equivalents consistent with the scope of thepriorart. i

Referring to the drawings: i

Figure 1 is a side elevation in cross section illustrating` a pumpconstructed in accordance with the present invention applied to an oilwell.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional detail taken along the line 2-2`of Fig. l. y

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional detail taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. y

` Figt isa cross sectional detail taken along the line 4--11 of Fig. 1.i i

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of themodifications shown therein, in Fig. 1 certain parts are shownpositioned within anl oil well provided with a conventional well casing10. It is obvious thatvthis casing can be either a casing pipe, acemented wall, or other equivalent means well known in the art.Extending down into the well from thesurface thereof, there is a stringof piping 12, which in this particular instance serves as an oil flowpassage thru which oil is elevated to the surface oi the well. At thelower end of piping 12 there is a special 'form oit coupling `13 whichhas a threaded connection lll with the lower section of piping 12, andwhich has another threaded connection 16 with a pipe section 17. Asuitable packing, illustrated diagrammatically at 18, serves to closethe space between pipe section 17 and the casing of the well. Thus aspace 19 is termed between piping 12 and 17 and the casing of the well,and this space forms a passageway extending down from the surface o1'Ithe well for fiow of a suitable `compressed gas.

The interior pipe section 17 forms what can be termed a displacementchamber 21. Coupling 13 is provided with an opening 22 serving toestablishcommunication between UFO piping 12 and displacement chamber21. ositioned within displacement chamber 21 there is a valve body 23which carries various movable valve members as will be presentlyexplained. The lower portion 24 of valve body 23 is in the form of anannular collar, the lower edge of which is seated upon an annular ring25. Bushing 26 is lixed within collar 24, and serves'to form an annular`valve seat 27. The intermediate portion of valve body 23 is formed of`spaced bars A28 :to 'form what is commonly known as the valve cage.Thus the interior of valve body 23 is in -unrestricted communicationwith the displacement chamber 21. The upper portion 29 of valve body 23is provided with luid ports 31, which vhave communication with theinterior of valve `body 23 thru annular valveV seats V3.2. The upper endof body portion 29 has a 'threaded connection 33 withl coupling l13,whereby ports 31 are in communication with a port'34, which in turncommunicates with space 19. Y

`With respect to the movable valve elements associated with valve body23, a hollow valve ball 36 is positioned upon the annular 4seat 27. Aplurality of relatively smaller' valve balls 37 are associated with theupperannular seats .32. It will be noted that ball 36 is 'biased bygravity toward closed position, While balls 37 are biased by gravitytowards open positions y Extending upwardly from ball 36 there is anactuating rod 39. The lowerl enlarged end portion 41 of rod 39 isprovided with a "lower concave face 42, adapted to tit vupon ball 36.The upper end portion 430i actuating vrod 39 is adapted to slidably litwithin La yguide portion 44 formed within the uppcrbody portion 29.l Itshould be noted that the upper and lowerfaces of guide portion 44 aresloped away from the actuating rod v39. This is forthe purpose ofscraping away .any accumulation `of sediment from rod 39, .and also vtoprevent sand and othersediment from finding its way between vguideportion 44 and the cooperating surfaces oi' actuatingv rod 39,l whichmight cause the actuating rodto become stuck or inoperative. It willlfbe noted from Fig. 1 that the .upper lportion 43 of actuating rod 39is et relatively smaller diameter than the lower portion 46, and thatth-ese portionsare joined'by a conical cam surface 47. Vh'en ball 36jisclosed upon seat V27, cam surface 47 lies below balls 37, al- "thoughthese Iballs `contact with the portion 43 of the actuating rod. upwardlyto elevate with -it rod 39, cam surface '47 contacts with balls 37, andforces 'these balls to closed position. Vhen ballV 36 is inl fulloperating position, cam surface 47 is at an elevation above the centersof balls 37, asindicated in dotted .flines in Fig, 1. There- 'fore foronly an intermediate portion of the mov-ement of ball '36, cam surface37 elliect-S As ball 36 movesv movement of balls 37. Furthermore sinceactuating rod portions 46 and 47 are cylindrical, in both open andclosed positions of ball 36, any forces exerted upon balls 37 tending tomove these balls toward open position, will not create a componenttending to urge actuating rod 39 in a vertical direction.

In practice the lower end of pipe section 17 can be connected withfurther piping 51 which may include an oil strainer or similar means,whereby oil trom the well can flow upwardly thru piping 51 and thruannular seat27, into the displacement chamber 21. When ball 36 is inclosed position, it is ap- "parent that'suh inflow of oil from the wellVYinto chamber21 is interrupted.

Y 'ln many instances it is desirable to provide -means which willminimize or prevent 'carrying of foreign .particles into the valvemeans, together with the gas. `For this purpose I have shown a gasstrainer 52 connected Vto coup-l1ng13, and extending upwardly thruthespace 19Ibetween casing 10 and piping 12. At some convenientpointabout-coupling 13, strainer 52 is closed with .respect to .pipe 12,`so .thatcompressed gas introduced into space 19 from the surface ofthewell, is caused 1to flow thru the perforations Yof strainer 52, beforeentering port '34.

Operation of my pump can be briefly outlined as follows: Assuming thatthe device is assembled substantially as shown in Fig. 1

within an oil well, and that ,the oil in the well tends to seek a levelsubstantially 'higher than the positioning of ball 36, oil .ilowsinwardly 1 .from the `well .thru annular seat 27, into chamber 21, andseeks a level some polnt ,in

piping 12 depending upon the natural'p-ressure of the oil in the well.It is also assumed that space 19 is connected at the surfacefof the.well with a substantially uninterrupted source of gas under suitablepressure. During inflow of oil from the well the fluid lpressure'uponthe under side of ball 36 will be greater than .the fluid pressureuponthe upper side, so vthat the differential fluid pressure retains ball 36in open position,

.above the upper Vedge of collar 24. While ball 36 is thus'retained in.open position, balls 37 are closed upon their cooperating-seats 32, 'toprevent introduction of gas under pres- 'sureV into Vthe displacementchamber. In connection. with -the vdifferential luid pressure upon ball`36 it should be noted that there `is also a downward component uponactuatingrod 39, by virtue of the fact that this 4rod -isexposed .to.gas ypressure in port`34. ,After alcertain head of oil has beenVattained within -piping 12, depending upon the'charactcrof the well,ball 36 automatically .moves .to closed position and a correspondingmovement of actuating rod 39 takes place, by vir- Ytue of the weight ofthis rod, and also by virtue of the Vgas pressure uponV the upperexposed endo'f the same. As this ymotion takes place, balls 37 move toopen position,

and gas miderpressure is injected into disfor a considerable period, itis evident that the differential forces upon ball 36 will vary dueprincipally to two factors, one being the exhausting of gas thru piping12 to the surl face of the well, and the other being the fact that thecolumn of oil above ball 36 has been decreased. Thus eventually thedifferential forces upon ball 36 will change to such an eX- 'tent thatball 36 will again move tocomplete open position, thus interruptingfurther introduction of compressed gas, and again permitting flow of oilfrom the well. -These operations will occur recurrently and auto--matically.

It should be noted that balls 337 are not moved to open position beforethe center of ball 36 has been elevated above the level of the upperedge of collar 24. Since no substantial inflow of oil can occur beforethe center of ball 3G is raised above the level of the upper edge ofcollar 24it is apparent that introduction of gas is interrupted be. forefree inflow of oil is permitted. Like wise inflow of oil issubstantially restricted before introduction of gas is permitted. Thischaracteristic of my device insures positive and full movement of ball36 and actuating rod 39, it tends to prevent introduction of compressedgas into the welhand it also tends to prevent emulsification of the oil.

It is aparent that the invention is susceptible to many modificationsand departures from the exact structure disclosed herein. It should benoted particularly that many expedients can be employed for formingseparate oil and gas flow passages extending down from the surface ofthe well. For eX- ample piping can be employed for forming a gas flowpassage and the space between this pipingr and the casing of the wellcan beemployed for the flow of oil. Likewise strings of piping can beemployed independently of the well casing for forming the oil and gasflow passages, and these strings can be either side by side, orconcentric.

l claim: j y

l, ln a liquid wel] pump ofthe gas type, piping extending down into thewell and serving to form separate gas andoil flow jiassages, said lgasflow passage having communication with a. substantially uninterruptedsource of gas under pressure at the surface of the well, means forming adisplacement chamber within the well which is in communication with thelower portion of the oil `flow passage, and valve means assoelated withsaid displacement chamber, said valve means including a ball checkserving to permit flow of oil `from the well into said chamber, aseparate ball check serving to control admission of gas from the gasflow passage into said chamber, and mechanical means interconnectingsaid checks whereby opening of said first mentioned check effectsclosing of the second mentioned check, said valve means beingautomatically actuated by varying `fluid pressures to which `the valvemeans is subjected.

2. In a liquid well pump of the gas type, piping extending down into theWell and serving to form separate gas and oil flow passages, said gasflow passage having communication with a source of gas under pressure atthe surface of the well, means forming a displacement chamber withinthewell which is in communication with the lower end portiony ofthe oilflowpassage, and valve means associated with said displacement chamber,said valve means including a ball check serving to permit flow of oilfrom the well into said chamber but serving to prevent flow of oil fromsaid chamber back into the well, a separate valve member serving tocontrol admission of gas from the gas flow passage into :said chamber,and mechanical `means inter-V connecting the ball of said check withsaid valve member, whereby opening of said ball check effects closing ofsaid valve member, said valve means being automatically actuated byvarying Huid pressures to which the same is subjectedl 3. In a liquidWell pump of the gas type, piping extending down into the well servingto form separate gas and oil flow passages, said gas flow passage havingcommunication with a source. of gas under pressure, means forming adisplacement chamber within the well which is in communication with thelower end portion of the oil flow passage, and valve means associatedwith such displace* ment chamber, said valve means including a valvemember movable to either one oiftwo positions to permit a flow of oilfrom the well into said chamber or to prevent such flow,

a separate ball checkserving to control ad mission of gas `from the gasflow passage into said chamber, and mechanical means interconnectingsaid lvalve. member and the ball of said check whereby opening of saidvalve member effects closingr of said check, said valve means beingautomatically actuated by varying the fluid pressures to whichthesame issubjected.

4. In a liquid Well pump of the gas type, y

piping extending down into the Well and serving to form separate gas andoil flow passages, said gas flow passage' having communication with asource of gas under pressure, means forming a displacement chamberwithin the `well which is in communication with the lower end portion ofthe oil flow pasand valve means associated with said displacement`chamber, said valve means including a valve member movable to eitheropen or closed positions, and serving when in open position to permit.flow of foil from fthe well into lsaid displacement .chamber :and whenin closed position `to prevent such :flow and to Atrap loil in thedisplacement chamber, .a :separate movable vvalve member serving tocontrol admission of ,gas from the gas ,flow passage into :said chamber,'and mechanical means connecting said valve members wherebyImovementofsaid iirst named valve member .tofopen positionserves toeffect closing of -sa-id second mentioned valve member `and wherebymovements of said first'named valve member 4to `closed position serves:to effect opening-of said second mentioned valve member, saidmechanical connection beingso arranged that luid forces uponsaid secondmentioned valve member tending .to move the same towards open positiondo not tend Ato Ymove .said iirst named. valve member towards fclosedposition, for either open or closed position of said virst mentionedva'lv member.

,5. ,Inca liquid well pump of the gas type, piping extending down `intothe ywell and -servingto form separate gas and oil ilow passages, saidgas flow passage having ycommunication with a substantiallyuninterrupted source of gas under pressure, means forming a displacementchamber within the well lwhich is in communication with v*the lower endportion of the oil flow passage, and valve means associated with saiddisplacement chamber,.said valve means including a valve 'member movable.between 'open and yclosed positions and serving to control -flow -of-oil from the well into said chamber, ya

sepa-rate valve member movable betweenopen andclosed :positions :andserving to control admission of gas from the gas vflow passage into saidchamber, and kmechanical means interconnecting said valve members,whereby opening-of said iirst mentioned valve member servestoeiiectclosing of said second mentioned valve member, said mechanicalconnection .including a cam adapted to effect substantially 'completemovement of said second mentioned valve members between open and closedpositions for an intermediate porftion of themovement of said firstmentioned valve member, said valve means being automatically andrecurrently actuated by varying fluid pressures within'the well.

6. In a liquid well pump of the gas type, .piping v.extending down intothe `well and serving .to :fo-rm separate gas and oil flow passages,said gas VViow passagehaving communication with a substantiallyuninterrupted source of gas under pressure, means Aforming adisplacement chamber within the well which is in communication vwith the`lower end portion of the oil `low passage, and valve means associatedwith said displacement chamber, said valve means including a ball checkserving `to control flow of oil 'from the welll into said chamber, 'asepinsaaaas means exending upwardly v'from he .ball .ofY

-said `lirs't mentioned check to the ball of said second mentionedycheckand servingto `'eiect closing lof said second lmentioned checkupon4opening movement of said'iirst mentioned check and vice versa, saidvalve means being automatically actuated by Huid pressures uponsurfacesof the same.

7. In a liquid wellv pump Vof the gas type, pipingfextending down intothe well and serv- 4ing to form separate gas and oil flow passages,saidvgas flow Vpassage having commun'ication with a source of gasunderpressure, means forming a displacement chamber within the well incommunication with the lower end Iportion of theoil -flow passage, andvalve means associated with said displacemen chamber, said valve meansincluding a Aball check movable between open and closed ypositionsandservingfto control flow of -oil 'from the well into said chamber, laseparatey Yball check movable' between open and @closed positions andserving to control admission of -gas from the gas flow-passage'into-said-chamber, said second mentioned check being located atan elevation "above said yfirst lmentioned check, an actuating rodhaving its lower end seated upon the ball of the first mentioned checkandhaving :its upper end Vportion extending ladjacent the ball' of thesecond mentioned check,-and cam means upon said rod .serving to engagethe 'ball of vsaid second mentioned check, whereby `upon opening of saidlirst mentioned check said second mentioned check is closed while uponclosing of `said first-mentioned check said second mentioned check isopened, said valve means being automatically actuated 'varying iuidpressuresto'which the same is subjected V8. ln a liquid well pump of the`gas type, piping extending down into `the well and serving to formseparate gas and oil flow passages, .said .gas .flow J passage .havingcommunication with'a source ofsubstantially uninterrupted gas underpressure 'at 'the surface of the well, means forming a displacementchamber within the well which is in communication withthe lower endportion of .the oil 'iow passage, a valve lbody disposed within saiddisplacement chamber, upper and lower ball seats formed in- .said valvebody, the upper portion of said body 'being provided with a duct servingto establish communication `between the lower yporition ofthe oil 'flowpassage andthe interior of the valve body, land the lower portion of thevalve bodybeing provided with'an-opening serving to establishcommunication between the well and the interior of the valve body, theinterior Vof the valve 'body 'being in communication with saiddisplacement i' nl ed chamber, a valve ball ada ted to cooperate withthe upper seat, a su stantially larger valve ball ada ted to cooperatewith the lower seat, a ro havingk its lower end engag-` ing the lowerlarger ball whereby said rod is moved upwardly when said lar'er ball iselevated to open position, means for guiding the upper portion of saidrod, and cam means carried by said rod whereby the smaller upper ball ismoved to closed position when said rod is elevated by movement of saidlarger lower ball to open position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

RALPH I. PENDLETON.

